Hyderabad FC get off the mark in Mumbai
Hyderabad FC finally got off the mark in the 2023-24 season of the Indian Super League after a 1-1 draw against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena, on Saturday.
An own goal at either end, from Manoj Mohammad (76′ OG) and Tiri (90+6′ OG) meant the game ended all square. The hosts were reduced to 10-men after an early sending off for ’keeper Phurba Lachenpa who hacked Joe Knowles down way outside the box.
Hyderabad began the game with the same lineup, and it was end-to-end action in the opening minutes. While the Nawabs came in with a plan, it had to be changed quickly after Mumbai were reduced to ten with Phurba getting his marching orders. The hosts also lost El Khayati to injury as the half ended with HFC slowly getting into the game. Vikram Partap Singh and Akash Mishra went the closest for the hosts while Joe Knowles and Aaren D’Silva went agonizingly close for Hyderabad.
The second half was a slow start for either side, and while Hyderabad controlled the proceedings, it was Mumbai who finally broke the deadlock against the run of play. A through pass from Greg Stewart found Bipin Singh whose cutback went through Gurmeet and hit Manoj before deflecting into the goal.
Hyderabad who had brought on Jonathan Moya, Felipe Amorim, and Mark Zothanpuia threw the kitchen sink in, in search of a goal. Their efforts finally paid off when Joe Knowles’ shot deflected off Tiri into the Mumbai goal. Although scrappy, the strike ended HFC’s search for a goal as they got that elusive one after conceding five since their opener against East Bengal.
The draw saw Hyderabad get their first point on the board but stay in 12th place. The Nawabs will be back home and up against Bengaluru FC at the Gachibowli Stadium on Saturday, 4thNovember in an early 5:30 pm kick-off.
